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who were saved attained the wholeness of faith that Hashem wants that I had succeeded in identifying the root and essential point, the must always strive, toil, and seek the truth. But in the work
to save them. Therefore, they were inspired to pray stubbornly with key and secret, upon which the acceptance of prayers depends. of the will, there is only one truth: to remain steadfast and
all their might in order to bring about their salvation immediately focused on single goal.
and urgently, and to reveal the true will of Hashem, Who wants to While this question was consuming my mind, Hashem brought
rescue them. Consequently, their prayer was complete: a strong me an experience by way of which He enlightened me with a new
prayer, an absolute request without any coldness of spirit. As for insight, so that with its help I understood the simple and deep
those who were not rescued, although they wanted to live and explanation of the Gemara’s words. A very great principle was Believe in Yourself—Believe in Hashem
felt death hovering above their heads and their hearts were on fire revealed to me, so that I saw before me a literally new Torah.
within them, they did not believe with a wholeness of faith that The stories of the Torah, the midrashim of our sages and the most Be aware that nothing breaks a person’s spirit like a lack of
Hashem wants to rescue them. Therefore, they did not entreat Him well-known stories about tzaddikim acquired a new complexion and progress. When a person fails to progress, he loses faith in himself
strongly and absolutely. As a result, their prayer did not have the a new meaning in my eyes. But it is not the learning that is of and faith in his path. He develops a negative self-image, and he
power to save them. principal importance. Most important, a practical way of serving feels unsuccessful, forlorn and hopeless. This is particularly the case
Hashem opened up before me. This is in fact an old way—but for if, after the passage of days and years, he feels that he remains the
Not to Grow Cold me it was very new. same as before.
This principle that I rediscovered is a very powerful practical
Therefore, a person’s prayer mirrors his measure of faith, and tool that may be used by everyone who seeks Hashem. I can testify The strongest point of encouragement comes when a person
it is accepted in accordance with his measure of faith. Here we that I and my students who have employed this old-new approach believes that, even though he seemingly abandons his greater
must be very careful. Many factors weaken our faith and prayer—in have seen very great changes in a short period of time. In areas aspirations, his achieves a single goal. That gives him self-
particular, they weaken our core faith that Hashem wants to save where my students had been stuck, their lives began to move at an confidence, with belief in himself and belief in the power of his
us. We need to know this and guard ourselves from these factors, astonishing rate, and they all acknowledged that they began to live prayer. This state of mind is better than anything else, because it
because we mus not allow anything to weaken our prayer. a new life. is the key to success in everything. Rabbi Natan explains (Likutei
Halachot: Nachalot 4) that when a person focuses on and is successful
Many times, a person’s familiarity with the teachings of the Torah in his prayers, he builds a wonderful tool of self-confidence, and as
and the writings of the tzaddikim discourages him from crying out “I Will Retrieve from the Depths of the Sea” a result he has the power to bring about results with his prayers for
and praying with absolute decisiveness. Even knowledge that is true his entire life!
and filled with faith deters him from attaining wholeness of faith. I will tell you how the One Who brings matters about, Who
But it is forbidden to allow even such absolutely true knowledge to initiates each chain of events, caused this solution to be revealed Achieving this gives meaning to his life. When he progresses, when
weaken our prayer in the slightest. to me. I was on my way to pay a shiva call to a couple whose son he successfully transforms himself and improves, his life begins to
had drowned. My driver asked me sadly: “What possessed a person go forward. He is filled with joy, satisfaction, and a positive self-
For example, a person knows that Hashem is righteous and who didn’t know how to swim to go into the deep water? How image, which are so vital to help him continue in his work.
upright: “He is my Rock, and there is no injustice in Him” (Psalms could he do such a thing? If you don’t know how to swim, go up
92:16). He knows that everything is judged measure for measure. to your waist and stop there. Why do people play with their lives?” Perfect Sweetening of Judgments
If he was punished, that was certainly because of his sins, because I told him, “You are making a mistake. You aren’t looking at the
there is no suffering without sin. He was not stricken without reason. situation correctly. Such people aren’t so responsible for drowning. In addition, you must be aware that when you invest half an hour
Hashem does not condemn without justice. Therefore, he must do Their death is a decree from heaven. I am sure that there are every day in working on one goal, even if you still remain far from
complete teshuvah and examine his deeds. And therefore, he must people who didn’t go in deep water, yet who were carried away by perfection and many more matters remain to be rectified, that this
accept the King’s decree with love and with thanks, and so forth. the water and drowned.” I have heard of a considerable number half hour completely sweetens all of the judgments against you.
of such cases. I have even heard about people who were excellent
All of these are wonderful aspects of wholeness of faith, and they swimmers against whom the heavenly decree was passed—as the What is the meaning of the concept of “judgment”? Judgment